If you’ve ever been a part of running an event with volunteers, you know that managing each and every one of your volunteers is a tough task. There are so many things that need to be done and many different areas that need to be manned. The most important thing to remember is that these people are just here to help, so why not make the experience fun and enjoyable? Ideally, you know a little bit about the majority of your volunteers, and you can use that to your advantage. You want to play to the strengths of each individual. This may be fairly obvious, but if one of your volunteers is a carpenter for their career, perhaps its best to place them as the leader of the building team (if applicable), rather than having them manage another task. You get the point. Regardless, your overall management of volunteers is pivotal to the success of your mission. Here, we will list a few more tips on how to manage your volunteers and make your event go smoothly.

Time is Money

We all know the saying, but when it comes to volunteering, we actually know EXACTLY how much their time is worth. If you’ve been keeping up with Swoovy, you know that each hour of volunteering is worth about $27.20 (Independent Sector, 2020). And this number keeps growing each year! While it may seem like you have a group of people who are working for free, they are actually giving you something that’s invaluable, TIME. So, it’s important to keep in mind that your volunteers are indispensable. People who give their time because they believe enough in your mission should be rewarded to the highest extent! This doesn’t mean you need to gift them a new car, just be sure that they know you appreciate each and every second they have given. We will discuss how to properly reward your volunteers later!

Communication, Communication, Communication

The backbone of anything that requires more than one person to complete. Communication is prevalent in relationships, friendships, family, work and school, so why shouldn’t it be in your volunteering too? Have regular meetings with your volunteers before, during, and after the event. Tell them everything they need to know, SET YOUR GOALS for the event, talk to anyone who needs help or has a question. As a leader, you are responsible for making sure that everything is going smoothly. So don’t just sit in one place all day, move around, engage your members, ask how things are going.

Keep Them Engaged!

When you have just a few volunteers, it’s easy to keep them busy. Conversely, when you have many, this becomes more of a challenge. As we talked about, these people are giving their time to your mission, and you want to make them feel like they were a big part of the success of the project. The one thing you don’t want is one of your volunteers standing around doing nothing and feeling helpless. So get them involved doing anything. It could be the simplest task, or you could place them in a group that has a more advanced job, if they would like. Bottom line, be sure that your volunteers are remaining engaged in the project and that they’re happy while doing it.

Make Finding You Easy

Make the process of finding your opportunity easier! Nobody wants to jump through hoops like a carnival animal. Delete unnecessary steps in your recruitment process. We have all seen volunteer opportunities where you need to register, send an email, sign papers, write another email, etc. You can erase all the hassle and headache by using Swoovy for your organization. Or, if you’re interested in learning 5 new ways to make your recruitment process more efficient, we have a blog on 5 Ways to Recruit More Volunteers for Less.

Hard Work Should be Rewarded!

While you may not be paying them for their work, your volunteers should still be compensated in some way! Each time you reach a milestone, turning point or goal, give high-fives, pats on the back, hugs, have a pizza party, anything! Just something to show your appreciation for the hours, or days of hard work that have been put into the project.

Set Feasible Goals

The most rewarding aspect of volunteering, achieving your goals! Small or large, the sense of accomplishment is what your volunteers are here for. These goals could be as little as “Getting (X) done before (Y) happens.” Of course, you have the overarching goal when the event begins, but setting small milestones along the way helps keep your volunteers engaged and charismatic about the mission. As we discussed above, hard work should be rewarded! Don’t be afraid to celebrate these accomplishments!